After a late rush to prepare their Volvo 70, CYCA Vice Commodore Matt Allen and Victorian yachtsman and CYCA member Grant Wharington made it to the start line of the Volvo Ocean Race which began on Saturday 12 November from Vigo, Spain.

Then, less than 48 hours after the start on Saturday, disaster struck in the squally conditions with navigator of the Volvo 70, Sunergy and Friends, Campbell Field, reporting to Sail World New Zealand today: 

“At approximately 1500 UTC today our gooseneck broke again, which is of course very disappointing. There is no way that we can sail the boat to South Africa on temporary repairs like this.

So, we are en route to Madeira, where we will be able to affect a
permanent repair.  We estimate that it will take us around 26 to 30 hours to get there, and about 6 hours to repair the damage.

We are still in a yacht race and we want to turn around our repair as soon as possible and get back out on the track”.

Matt Allen, who motored the Volvo 70 to the start line before farewelling the crew, this morning confirmed Sunergy and Friends was heading to Madeira and he advised that the crew was hoping to turn the boat around in 4 hours.  He also described the frenzy of the final 48 hours before the race start with the crew working around the clock to complete a list of modifications required by the measurers.

“It was a mad rush to get the boat ready,” Allen admitted.  “The measurers gave us a list of changes and estimated there was at least two weeks worth of work to complete the list. We did it in 48 hours,” he said.

“All the other syndicates were really helpful and when we made it to the start line, we received an enormous amount of attention”.

The Volvo 70, Sunergy and Friends, is sailing as a CYCA registered vessel and is flying the Club burgee on board the first truly Australian challenge to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race.

Prior to the Vice Commodore’s departure for Spain, Commodore Geoff Lavis presented him with a burgee and on behalf of all Club members, he sent a message of Bon Voyage to the crew.

The skipper of Sunergy and Friends, and CYCA member, Grant Wharington, has entered his 98 footer Skandia in this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart and in between legs of the VOR he plans to dash from Cape Town to Sydney to compete in the blue water classic.

Adrienne Cahalan, navigator on the VO70 Brasil 1 and the record holder for the most Rolex Sydney Hobarts for a woman – 14 – is also expected to make the dash to Sydney to join the crew of Wild Oats XI come Boxing Day.

For all the latest news on Sunergy and Friends, and the rest of the VOR fleet competing in the 32,700 mile event, the official web site is www.volvooceanrace.org and reports are being sent direct from Sunergy and Friends to www.sail-world.com.  Regular reports will also be published on the CYCA web site.  

TV Coverage

Members are advised that starting tonight, Network TEN will broadcast the first weekly 30 minute program on the Volvo Ocean Race. Tonight’s program starts at 12.30am (Tuesday 15 November). Check your TV guide for details.

By Lisa Ratcliff